The Sea of Stars

History

An excerpt from The History of the Kingdoms, by Pietro Leth, from The Cosmologica

At least 5000 years Before Kingdoms Era
the Ragnarok is said to have occurred. No exact date known, but referenced in Landoch’s The Last Rite of Asmodeus as having occurred ‘3000 years before’ allow us to give an approximate time of occurrence.

Approximately 3000 BKEArcadia, Epnos and Gruumin form the Kingdoms United alliance. This is claimed to be the basis for the modern Kingdoms, however no record of the treaty exists.

The star is discovered to be made of residuum, and at least Zhent begins mining this valuable resource. Zhentish trade manifests reveal this to be common by 2500 BKE.

2677 BKE
Our first record of the treaty of the Kingdoms, as Kisetsu joins.

approximately 2495 BKEThe Awlings joins the Kingdoms. This prompts the famous ‘call for alliance’, penned by the Zhentish prince Leander, to the leaders of all other kingdoms, claiming that the Kingdoms seek domination over all shards.

2470 BKE
Championed by Zhent and Birin, an official alliance is formed, that also includes Sharaza, Greenock, and Alnwick. A document is penned to unite them, referred to later as ‘the Astral treaty’. No copies of the treaty remain.

approximately 2184
The first demonic crusade occurs, recorded both in Landoch’s The Last Rite of Asmodeus as well as the Orcish text The Century of Gruumsh, which provides an exact date (the author states that it is written 1000 years after the first demonic crusade). The crusade is ended when Asmodeus, who had driven the crusade, was torn apart by Gruumsh.

1970 BKE
The astral treaty is allowed to expire, and disagreement between terms means that no unified treaty is re-signed. The previous signatories set up a complex collection of treaties with one another.

1548 BKE
a city is properly formed on the star, from Zhent and (some other kingdom), using previously mined tunnels.

1332 BKE
the second demonic crusade occurs. This crusade is less directed than the first, and lasts three years until whatever magic opened the portals to the demonic shards seemed to fail simultaneously.npm s

964 – 0 BKE
The Astral Wars occur. See chapter 3 for a chronology of The Astral Wars.

466-442 BKE
the third demonic crusade occurs. Combined with mass conflict between the shards many see this as a second ragnarok, and many texts predict the extinction of the star, and the death of all worlds.

0 KEThe Treaty of The Twelve Kingdoms is signed by representatives of all shards, and Star Tower is made the official neutral ground for inter-kingdom conflict to be debated, with a collection of ‘ambassadors’ from each kingdom being responsible for presenting their kingdom’s case, and 3 oligarchs able to make a final decision.

129 KE
a secession from the kingdoms is attempted by three kingdoms, and the power of the oligarchs is affirmed in the ensuing conflict after they are able to retain control.

518 KE
After hundreds of years of raiding, a deal is struck with the drow to allow them to participate in kingdoms government in exchange for stopping their assaults. Massive energy is employed to move Dro’Daen into the general fold of the star.

663 KE
The number of ambassadors per kingdom is raised to 3, and the appointment of oligarchs is made to no longer rotate between kingdoms, but be elected from current ambassadors, after the appointment of elvish oligarchs was seen as an abuse of the ‘for life’ claim.

691 KE
the fourth demonic crusade arises, leading to conscription in many kingdoms and the formation of the Order of the Star under the Oligarchs. The Order routs the demons, and launches a counter-crusade against demonic realms, in which 7 demon princes are killed by 710 KE, before the crusades are called off.

902 KE
the gith wars begin. All gith cease to visit the kingdoms, reports suggest the githyanki and githzerai are in open conflict. This affects how connected the kingdoms are, making them grow more isolated.

1000 KE
a group of fey-aligned elves try and destroy star city, and the entire star as an abomination in joining shards together. All oligarchs are killed in the assault, along with many ambassadors. The attack is timed to interrupt the millennial celebrations.

1157 KE the gith war ends, with both kinds of gith resuming relationships similar to their previous ones.

1252 KE the 25 dragon tyrants aim to add the 13 Kingdoms to the shards paying tithes to them, appearing themselves to terrorise them, and also opening portals to shards they already control. After an incredibly difficult struggle, and going in to great debt to the githyanki, several tyrant controlled shards are completely destroyed, and 20 of the tyrants are killed. The heroes of this time are the most famous modern heroes. This conflict ends in 1258 KE